Flight operations to pause at DC airport for Trump’s Freedom 250 Grand Prix

Flight operations at Washington's Reagan National Airport are expected to temporarily pause from 10:15 a.m. (1415 GMT) to 1:15 p.m. on August 23, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said on Monday.The brief closure is being put in place to accommodate the Freedom 250 Grand Prix IndyCar race.Scheduled for August 22 to 23, the motorsport event will see cars racing through the streets of Washington to mark the 250th birthday of the U.S. While general admission tickets are free for spectators, attendees can pay for access to the "Champions Club" to secure an "exclusive race weekend experience," according to the official event website. That two-day package costs $5,000 per person.Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (AFP via Getty Images)The FAA has closed airspace above Washington's Reagan National Airport several times in recent months for different occasions. Flights were grounded on July 4 for Independence Day events in the nation's capital, forcing hundreds of flight cancellations. The airport previously suspended operations on June 14 for U.S. President Donald Trump's Army anniversary parade.The Freedom 250 Grand Prix will be the first‑ever Indy car race on the National Mall. The circuit will feature a 1.7‑mile, seven‑turn layout, according to the website. The event is expected to attract 140,000 attendees every day, event organizer and president of Penske Corporation Bud Denker said in July.